Speed-regulator for explosive-engines.



No. 760,462. PATENTED MAY 24, 1904. G. 0. LUCAS. SPBB D REGULATOR FOR BXPLOSIVB ENGINES.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 1'? 1903.

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7 PATENTED MAY 24, 1904. i G. 0. LUCAS. SPEED REGULATOR FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

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Patented. May 24., 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES O. LUCAS, OF GREENVILLE, OHIO.

SPEED-REGULATOR FOR EXPLOSIVE-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 760,462, dated May 24, 1904:.

Application filed June 17, 1903- To (1/7/71 whom, it may concern Be it known that 1, (humans 0. Lucas, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenville, in the county of .Darke and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Speed-Regulators for Explo- S1VG-EHglI1GS and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in explosive-engines.

The object of the invention is to produce an explosive-engine which is under complete control as to its speed and power and to accomplish this without changing the quality or the quantity of the explosive mixture and without mechanically changing the tension of any governor-spring while the engine is running. This result is obtained by changing the position of the fulcrum of a latch-lever, one end of which bears against a part of the governor or a flange or wheel driven by the governor and the other end of said latch-lever being adapted to permit of a latch or detent to move to a position to engage a collar fastened to the rod of the exhaust-valve, or the said latch may engage an enlargement or shoulder on said exhaust-valve rod. The en gine is made so that when both inlet and discharge valves are on their seats the suction of the piston will complete the raising of the inlet-valve to let in a charge of the explosive mixture, but when the exhaust-valve is raised from its seat and held therefrom by the latch or detent no suction is created and no explosive mixture enters the explosive-cylinder. The position of the exhaust-valve is controlled at either a high or low speed of the engine .while the engine is running.

A further object of the invention is to produce a regular motion of the engine and also to break the battery-circuit when current is not needed for exploding the charge in the cylinder.

Preceding a more detailed description of Serial No. 161,769. (No model.)

the invention reference is made to the accompanying drawings, of which-- Figure 1 is a front elevation of an upright explosiveengine having my improvements thereon. Fig. 2 is a side elevation with the cylinder removed and a portion of the base broken away. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the front portion of the bed, showing the latch and adjunctive devices. Fig. 4 is a detail of modifications affecting the operation of the latch-lever.

Throughout the detail description to follow similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts.

The drawings show the engine with the exhaust-valve raised and locked in position and the circuit-breaker open.

B designates a cam-shaft having thereon a cam 8, which is designed to operate the exhaust-valve 22 from valve-rod 12. Said valve has a seat 33 in valve-chest 21.

9 designates a tappet fulcrumed on shaft C and having a steel plate 10, upon which the valve-rod 12 rests when said valve-rod is released by the latch 24. The tappet 9 has a roller 11, which is acted upon by the cam 8. The latch 24 is pivoted upon a stud or bolt 25 on the engine-bed and is engaged at all times by a spring 31.

23 designates a steel plate fastened on said latch, which latch is adapted to be moved under a collar or enlargement 15 of valve-rod 12, and when said latch is in position under said collar the valve-rod is held in a position which holds the exhaust-valve from its seat 33.

14 designates a circuit-breaker connection which is secured to the valve-rod 12.

16 is a guide for said connection 14, and 17 designates two upright brass springs secured, to a fiber plate 18, which is made fast to the bed of the engine. The parts 14 and 17 constitute a circuit breaker. The battery is thrown out when it isnot needed for igniting a charge in the cylinder G. This occursat such times as the valve-rod 26 is held by the latch. It has not been deemed necessary to illustrate the electrical connections with the springs 17, for the reason that they are not involved in the present invention. It will be understood that springs 17 are insulated from the engine-bed. Guide-springs 16 are connected to the engine-bed. When valve-rod 12 is held by the latch 24, the electric circuit is broken by the arm 14 being out of contact with the springs 17.

26 designates a latch-lever engaging at one end the latch 24 in any suitable manner to move the latch against the tension of spring 31. This latch-lever has a fulcrum by being attached in a pivotal manner to an adjustable bar 27, which bar is supported on the enginebed and which bar has a screw-threaded engagement with a thumb-nut 29 in order that said bar may be moved by turning said thumbnut 29. It will therefore be seen that the position of the fulcrum of thelatch-lever may be shifted. The governor-wheel 4 has a flange against which one end of the latch-lever normally bears owing to the constant pressure of the spring 31 against the latch 24. The said governor-wheel is pivotally connected to the governor-arms 1 and 2 by means of links 5 5. The governor-arms have yokes 1 and 2,which straddle a sleeve 3 on the governor shaft A and which, together with the governor-arms, is connected with said shaft by means of a pin 3.

6 designates the governor-spring on the governor-shaft interposed between the wheel 4 and collar 7.

D designates a spurwheel on the governorshaft A, which is operated by a spur-gear from the crank-shaft of the engine in the usual manner.

E is a smaller spur-wheel on governor-shaft A and in mesh with a spur-wheel F on the camshaft B.

The respective shafts A, B, and C are supported in bearings I, J, K, L, M, and N in the engine-bed H.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4 the latchlever 26 acted upon by an auxiliary wheel 34, placed upon the cam-shaft B or other shaft for the purpose of actuating the latch-lever. This auxiliary wheel 34 has a peripheral groove 35, which receives the periphery of wheel 4. It will thus be seen that the latchlever may be either actuated directly from the governor-Wheel 1 or directly from an auxiliary wheel, which is actuated from said governorwheel 4. It may be stated, however, that the preferred construction is that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

In the way of a more detailed description it may be stated that when the engine is at rest the latch 24 is held out bythe latch-lever 26 from under the collar 15. This allows the valve-rod 12 to move freely to seat the valve 22 when not moved by the cam 8. After the engine is started the governor-armsl and 2, moving outwardly under the action of centrifugal force, move the governor-wheel 4: away from the end of latch-lever 26. The

latch-lever, as before stated, being pivoted at some point of its length to the adjustable fulcrum-bar 27, is permitted to engage at its upper end with the latch 2 Land at the other end with the governor-wheel 1. The latch is held to the end of the lever by the spring 31 and has a movement corresponding to that of the lever. When the engine is running at its normal speed, the position of the governor-wheel 4 is such that it holds the latch 24 away from the valve-rod 12 through the action of said wheel on the latch-lever 26. At this normal speed the fulcrum of the latch-lever 26 is adjusted by means of the thumb-nut 29 to bring one end of said latch-lever against the governorwheel and the other end of said latch-lever in a position which holds the latch 24 away from the valve-rod 12. lVhen the engine is running above normal suiiicient to move the governor-wheel i, the end of thelatch-lever, which carries the roller 30, will follow the governorwheel by the pressure of the spring 31, and if this movement is suflicient the latch will move under the collar 15 and will hold the valve up from its seat. This position of the valve pre vents any charge from going into the cylinder and allows the engine to slow down to normal speed, at which time the valve-rod is released by the latch-lever acting-upon the latch through the contracting movement of the governor acting upon the wheel 4, thereby placing the engine in condition for other explosions as needed.

The speed of the engine may be regulated as desired by turning the thumb-nut 29 on the fulcrum-bar 27, thereby changing the positions of the fulcrum of the latch-lever rela tively to the governor-wheel 4i and the latch 24. By moving the fulcrum of the lever to bring the end thereof against the governor- ,wheel 4. the engine will increase its speed until the centrifugal force will throw the arms of the governor farther from the shaft, and thereby tend to move the governor-wheel away from the lever 26. The upper end of said lever moves toward the valve-rod12 and gives the latch-lever 2 1 over to the control of the spring 31, which moves the latch under the collar 15. The latch 2 L will thus move as soon as the speed of the engine is suflicient to move the governor-wheel 4 far enough, when the exhaust-valve will be held from its seat. No explosive material will be taken into the cylinder until the engine has decreased its speed sufliciently to permit the governor-wheel 4 to move against the roller 30, and thereby move the latch 24 away from the valve-rod, thus freeing the valve and permitting the engine to receive another charge. It will be seen that the position of the fulcrum of the latch-lever 26 determines the speed of the engine and thatthis is accomplished without changing the quantity or quality of the explosive mixture or the tension of the governor-spring 6,

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In an explosive-engine, an exhaust-valve rod, a pivoted latch having lateral movement and adapted to engage or disengage said valverod, an upright lever adapted to actuate said latch away from said valve-rod, said lever having an intermediate changeable fulcrum, a governor, and means interposed between said governor and the lower end of said lever whereby the latch is controlled by said lever, substantially as set forth.

2. In an explosive-engine, the combination with a governor, of a latchlever having a movable fulcrum intermediate the ends thereof, an actuating device for said lever under the control of the governor, a latch engaged by the upper end of said lever, said latch being normally under the control of a spring, and an exhaust-valve rod adapted to be engaged or disengaged by said latch according to the speed of the engine, substantially as set forth.

3. In an explosive-engine, the combination with a governor, of a latch-lever, an adjustable bar pivoted at one end to an intermediate point of said latch lever and providing a changeable fulcrum for said lever, a governorwheel connected with the governor and adapted to make contact with the lower end of the latch-lever according to the speed of the governor, a latch engaged by said lever, said latch being normally under the pressure of a spring, and an exhaust-valve rod engaged or disengaged by said latch-lever according to the speed of the engine, substantially as set forth.

i. In an explosive-engine, an exhaust-valve rod, a circuit-breaker attached to said valverod, a latch to engage and disengage said valve-rod, a lever to actuate said latch, said lever having a changeable fulcrum intermediate its ends, a governor, and means interposed betweensaid governor and said lever whereby the latch may be placed under the control of said lever.

5. In an explosive-engine, an exhaust-valve rod, a latch adapted to engage and disengage said valve-rod, a lever adapted to engage and free said latch, a governor adapted to actuate said lever, and a fulcrum-bar upon which said lever has its fulcrum at a point midway of its length, said bar being adjustable longitudinally in a plane parallel with the axis of the governor to change the position of the fulcrum of said lever.

6. In an explosive-engine, the combination of a governor-shaft, a sleeve on said shaft, a governor consisting of two centrifugal arms terminating in yokes which overlap at their inner ends, a pin penetrating said overlapping ends and the sleeve, whereby the governor-arms are provided at their yoke ends with pivots, a wheel linked to the yoke ends of the governor and having sliding movement on the governor-shaft, a latch normally tending to engage and hold the exhaust-valve open, a lever adapted to be engaged by said wheel, said lever having a changeable fulcrum and engaging the latch to hold the same away from the exhaust-valve stem, and actuated by the governor when the speed of the engine rises above normal to release the latch and permit it to hold the exhaust-valve open until the speed of the engine falls to the normal.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two switnesses.

CHARLES O. LUCAS.

Witnesses:

R. J. MGGARTY, (J. M. THEOBOLD. 

